Critically analyzing four decades of television situation
comedies from The Honeymooners to The Bill Cosby Show, Hamamoto
shows how the sitcom reflects, explains, legitimates, and
challenges the society in which it is grounded, illumining the
power of laughter both to reaffirm and to question existing social
structures. . . . Hamamoto offers a well-researched and
refreshingly lucid study, immensely readable for its astute
scholarship. Indispensable for students and scholars of television,
popular culture, and comedy. "Choice"
"Nervous Laughter" examines forty years of situation comedy,
decade by decade, providing the first truly panoramic view of TV's
most popular dramatic form. Within this context, Hamamoto traces
what he describes as the dominant liberal democratic ideology
implicit within situation comedy and explains its enduring
popularity. Examining liberal democratic culture, politics, and
society he demonstrates how the sitcom resolves social
contradictions. Borrowing freely from the social sciences, history,
and literary criticism he explains the curious grip the TV sitcom
has had on its audience for over forty years. This book critically
assesses the relationship between the media and society bringing
questions of power, equality, and democracy to the foreground.
"Nervous Laughter" is important reading for both the specialist and
the general reader in its analysis of postwar American society.
"Nervous Laughter" is a study of liberal democratic culture,
politics, and society. It describes the ways affirmative aspects
and contradictions of liberal democratic ideology are given form in
television situation comedy. It provides a close reading of forty
years of television texts. Arguing against mainstream theories of
mass communications, the author presents an analytic framework that
looks instead at conflict and contradiction within class society.
Challenging the legitimacy of airwave control by non-democratic
social institutions, "Nervous Laughter" concludes with a modest
agenda that might lead to democratization of television.
General
Imprint: |
Praeger Publishers Inc
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
May 1991 |
First published: |
May 1991 |
Authors: |
Darrell Y Hamamoto
|
Dimensions: |
235 x 156 x 14mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
192 |
Edition: |
New Ed |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-275-94050-8 |
Categories: |
Books >
Arts & Architecture >
General
Books >
Social sciences >
General
|
LSN: |
0-275-94050-0 |
Barcode: |
9780275940508 |
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